The Cardinal: A Bird of Romance

The northern cardinal or redbird is in my opinion one of the Romantics of wildlife. Here is why. Cardinals like a number of other birds mate for life, but watching them is to notice how Romantic their nature truly is.

If you live in the eastern half of the US, you will probably see cardinals in your backyard, if you have a backyard. Put out some sunflower seeds or cracked corn in the winter. They will come to it. Once the cardinals come you may notice sometimes that they will come in pairs. One will be bright red and the other may be a sort of tan color with some red on the crown of it's head and plumage. The bright red is the male, and its' faded counterpart is the female. Sometimes the male gather seeds in his mouth and feeds them to the female. I have actually seen a male feed two females at a time. Sometimes during the feeding a pair will touch beaks briefly as if they are kissing. This is all a part of the courtship ritual which I when I first saw it seemed like a highly Romantic gesture.

The cardinal is thought to have been given its' name because the male's feathers are a brilliant red like the robes and caps of the cardinals of the Catholic church. During the 1800s a popular trade in cardinals as cage birds began. The cardinals were prized for the their beautiful color and song, so they were trapped and sold in the northern US and in Europe. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 halted in the trade in these loveable birds. Today the cardinal is the most popular choice for state birds than any other bird.

During courtship the male and female cardinal will sing a duet. Cardinals build their nests which are round and bowl shaped in thick foliage. The female usually lays from 3 to 5 eggs, and since male cardinals are fiercely territorial they will chase alway any birds who who come near the nest. Male cardinals are so suspicious of other males that if one sees his own reflection, he will try to fight it off for hours! Mated cardinals often travel together. Once baby cardinals are hatched, the father does all the hunting for food while the mother stays with the babies.

At Christmas time in the US, cardinals are often the subject of Christmas artwork. They are seen on greeting cards, plates, and in ornaments like wreaths.

In this era when it is difficult for so many human couples to bond peacefully and joyfully, it is so nice to know there are species of animals like the dainty little cardinal who remain devoted unselfishly to one another for life. Cardinals, a Romantic little creature.